Gubal Barge
27.6694°N 33.8039°E · reef
Gubal Barge (also called the Bluff Point Barge) is a small wreck dive site located at Bluff Point on Gubal Island in the northern Strait of Gubal, Red Sea. It is a popular overnight stop for liveaboard boats transiting the strait and is considered one of the best night dive sites in the Red Sea.
Overview
The wreck is a barge of unknown origin that sank in 1973, reportedly during the Arab-Israeli War, though its precise history is unconfirmed. Little of the barge superstructure remains intact; the heavily encrusted remains lie in approximately 11–12 m of water. Despite the shallow depth and degraded structure, the site rewards patient divers — particularly at night — with rich macro life.
Marine Life
The wreck hosts a well-established community of nocturnal and macro creatures. Commonly encountered species include giant moray eels (two resident eels are famously known to local guides), freckled hawkfish, lionfish, scorpionfish, crocodilefish, lobsters, and octopuses. Giant basket stars are occasionally seen. The surrounding sandy bottom supports sea cucumbers and sea urchins.
Dive Profile
Maximum depth is approximately 11–12 m. Visibility is typically excellent — reports of 30 m are common. The dive is short but rewarding, with most divers spending 45–60 minutes exploring the wreck and surrounding sandy bottom. Conditions are generally calm and sheltered. Night diving is particularly productive and is how most liveaboard passengers experience this site.
Tips & Safety
- Best experienced as a night dive; daytime dives are also pleasant but less dramatic
- The wreck is fragile and heavily encrusted — buoyancy control is important to avoid damaging marine growth
- Boat access; liveaboards commonly moor here overnight when crossing the Strait of Gubal
Site Information
- Location: Bluff Point, Gubal Island, Strait of Gubal, northern Red Sea
- Entry Type: Shore entry
- Site Type: Reef
- Difficulty Level: Intermediate
- Maximum Depth: 12 meters
Additional Resources
- Last Updated: 2026-05-17
Sources: Learn to Dive Today – Barge Wreck Bluff Point, Scuba Diving Place – Gubal Barge. Last updated 2026-05-17.
Sea-surface temperature and wave height from Open-Meteo Marine (ERA5 reanalysis, monthly averages).
91 verified species observations (32 species) logged within ~11 km of this site between 1928 and 2012, from the Ocean Biodiversity Information System.
- Tursiops aduncus · Indian ocean bottlenose dolphin
- Decapterus russelli · Indian Scad
- Etrumeus sadina · Maray
- Cephalopholis · Rockcod
- Cephalopholis miniata · Coral Cod
- Tursiops · Bottlenose dolphins
- Parupeneus cyclostomus · Bright Goatfish
- Variola louti · Common Lyretail-cod
- Tylosurus choram
- Etrumeus
- Engyprosopon grandisquama
- Grampus griseus · Risso's dolphin
Scientific survey records skew toward sampled taxa (molluscs, corals) and do not reflect what you are guaranteed to see on a dive.
Source: OBIS (obis.org), aggregated Darwin Core occurrence records.
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